Well it's offical. VIZ got Hikaru No Go. I just hope they don't put it in Shonen Jump, cause it'll like take forever to get put in GN format. This clip is from the American Go Association weekly newsletter.

Quote:

VIZ SIGNS LLC HIKARU ENGLISH RIGHTS: Viz LLC, a San-Francisco-based
vendor of anime and manga, has acquired the English language rights to the
Hikaru No Go manga (graphic novels) and anime (animated videos) that
have captured the imagination of thousands of new go players in Japan.
The first English versions of the anime and manga should appear later
this year, according to AGA President Chris Kirschner. "This is a great
opportunity to introduce go to the American public, and we're going to
work together toward that goal," Kirschner said. Some organizers
believe that the release of the Hikaru series in English could spur many more
American young people's interest in go. The "fansubs" that have been
available on the Internet have already inspired many new young players.
Commercial products will reach an even wider audience. According to the
conventions of the "fansub" world, distribution and use of unauthorized
translations of manga and anime should cease when acquisition of the
license is announced, so it is likely that "fansub" versions of the
series will soon be hard to find. For those unfamiliar with the story,
Hikaru No Go is a coming-of-age story set in modern Japan. Brash young
Hikaru discovers an old go board in his grandfather's attic. Like a genie
in a bottle, the spirit of a great player has been trapped inside for
decades. When Hikaru lets him out, he is eager to continue his search
for the perfect move - "the move of God." Eventually, Hikaru is drawn
inexorably into this quest. Praised for its high production values, the
Hikaru series has single-handedly revived interest in go in Japan.
According to sources there, until recently most Japanese young people
thought of go as "something grandfather plays", with no relevance to them.
Now however, teachers are flooding the Japan Go Association with
requests for demonstrations in their schools. "It's the biggest thing since
Pokemon," they say.
- reported by Roy Laird

__________________"a positive attitude will not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort." - Herm Albright